The present invention generally pertains to collection and management of pipeline-flow data and is particularly directed to an improvement in transferring the collected pipeline-flow data.
Pipeline-flow data is collected and processed to determine the quantity of a fluid that has been transported through a pipeline during a given time period. When the fluid is natural gas, the pipeline-flow data typically includes static pressure, differential pressure and temperature. Pipeline-flow data has been collected for several years by use of a Barton Model 202 Series flow recorder disposed at a pipeline location. This flow recorder includes pens for recording sensed data on a chart recording medium that is rotated beneath pins that are mounted on pivotal shafts that are coupled by mechanical linkage to transducers that are coupled to the pipeline and move in response to changes in static pressure, differential pressure and temperature, respectively, and thereby sense these parameters. Potentiometers are sometimes coupled by mechanical linkage to the pen shafts for translating pen shaft movement into electrical pipeline-flow data signals. Such coupling is provided in both a Barton RT-10 recorder transmitter and in a Barton ADScan electronic datalogger retrofit kit. These Barton products are available from ITT Barton Instruments Company, City of Industry, Calif.
It is known to transfer pipeline-flow data from a plurality of pipeline locations to a hub location and to further transfer the pipeline-flow data from a plurality of hub locations to a central location for final processing. Billing of customers is based upon such final processing. The transfer of the pipeline-flow data typically is by radio or telephone transmission, with such transmission typically being in response to a polling signal received from a location other than the location from which the transmission emanates.